Method and device for installation of steel pipe below the bottom of a body of water



June 25, 1968 R. HARMsToRF METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSTALLATION OF STEELPIPE BELOW THE BOTTOM OF A BODY OF WATER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22.1965 A "11.1. u l 1 I l: n ,l l'

June 25, 1968 R, HARMSTQRF 3,389,554

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSTALLATION OF STEEL PIPE BELOW THE BOTTOM OF ABODY OF WATER Filed Nov. 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l /ILENTOR June 25.1968 R. HARMSTORF METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSTALLATION OF STEEL PIPE BELOWTHE BOTTOM OF A BODY OF WATER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 -F`1ed Nov. 22. 1965 INVETOR E BY June 25,- 1968 R. HARMSTORF 3,389,564

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSTALLATION OF STEEL PIPE BELOW THE BOTTOM OF ABODY OF WATER Filed Nov. 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 @2% )lg/Y mvlya @MMMJune 25, 1968 R, HARMSTORF 3,389,564

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INSTALLATION 0E STEEL PIPE BELOW THE BOTTOM OF ABODY OF WATER Filed Nov. 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H Il I m I H wl H m I.Il in. |il \\\W \\\m\\\. ./1 T L m. A, m x m um E s# United StatesPatent Office 3,389,564 Patented June 25, 1968 14 claims. (Cl. 61-72.4)lo ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE The invention pertains to the installationof steel pipe below the bottom of a body of water wherein the steel pipeis inserted into plastic pipe flush embedded in position, and the steelpipe is forwardly fed into the plastic pipe at a rate equal to theforward motion of the flushing apparatus wherein the forward terminalend Iof the steel pipe is maintained adjacent the ushing apparatus toaid in its guidance.

lt has been known in the past to water-jet cables or plastic pipes intothe bottom of a watercourse, but to date 25 it has not been possiblewith any conventional water-jetting method to install steel pipes insuflicient depth and with adequate safety below the bottom of awatercourse. Plastic pipes are not suitable for a variety ofapplications, e.g. for the purpose of conveying gaseous or liquid fuelswhich, because of their high pressure or aggressiveness to plastics,must be handled in steel conduits now as before. In these and similarinstances it has previously been necessary because of the bendingcharacteristics of steel pipe to adopt conventional inverted siphonmethods for steel pipe installation which involve substantialexcavation, closed sheeting on the banks and similar work to beperformed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and adevice by means yof which steel pipes also can be water-jetted into thebottom of a watercourse in a manner as similarly employed for plasticpiping.

The invention suggests a method for installing steel pipes below thebottom of a watercourse, especially of a canal or a river, wherein theproblem involved is being solved substantially in that a plastic pipe iswater-jetted into the watercourse bottom in a manner known per se bymeans of a water-jetting setup and that simultaneously therewith a steelpipe inserted into the plastic pipe from one bank of the watercourse upto the water-jetting setup r is advanced as plastic pipe installationprogresses.

ln this method according to the present invention the steel pipeinserted into the plastic piping up to the waterjetting apparatus servesas a guide and solely insures that said plastic pipe, while it is beingjetted, embeds in the bottom of the watercourse at bending radii asrequired. This method according to the invention permits the forcesproduced within range of curved sections between the water-jettingequipment and the steel pipe end adjoining the same to be utilized forsteering or controlling the pipe-laying direction. The invention alsooffers the particular advantage that the water-jetting apparatus also,can be. guided by the steel pipe terminating therein, it being a furtherfeature of the invention that the pipe-laying direction can so becontrolled that the forces between said 65 water-jctting means and thesteel pipe are maintained below predetermined limits.

In accordance with another feature of this invention said water-jettingmethod of pipe installation can be adopted also within the bank zones ofthe planned pipe 70 route in that the water-jetting apparatus is soguided in a positive manner within range of said bank sections of theroute that the latter is perfectly and reliably obtained. The inventionprovides for this purpose that prior to commencement of installationwork the starting end of the plastic pipes is fixed or clamped inposition in a footing or base which is stationarily disposed on one bankof the watercourse and which is in alignment with the steel pipeadvancing means arranged there. In this way an invariable mutualaligning and guiding action between plastic pipe and steel pipe results.

Summary 0f the invention The basic object of the invention is to providea system wherein steel pipe may be readily located below the bottom of abody of water by the use of liushing apparatus.

ln order to carry the method according to this invention into effect,the invention proposes a device comprising a water-jetting apparatus forat least one plastic pipe which can be atta-ched to and controlled fromthe pipelaying vessel, said device being characterized by a stationaryrunway extending across lone bank zone of the watercourse in pipelayingdirection for a pipelaying trolley capable of travelling substantiallyparallel to said direction of pipelaying and provided with fasteningmeans for the water-jetting unit, and by an advancing means for steelpipes stationarily arranged ahead of the landward end of the runway,i.e. for steel pipes having an outer l diameter that is smaller than theinner diameter of the plastic pipes. The stationary arrangement ofrunway and advancing means ensures that the intended pipe route is alsoaccurately obtained within bank range. It is another feature of theinvention that the fastening means for the water-jetting unit can alsobe arranged in a vertically sliding arrangement on the pipelayingtrolley and that power actuated positioners are provided for shiftingsaid fastening means. This design offers the advantage that the runwayneed not be installed accurately in height since exact height controlcan be effected by means of said positioners or adjusting means.

The invention permits for any and all advantages of the prior-knownwater-jetting method for plastic pipe installation to be also utilizedfor installation of steel pipes and further to provide improvedcorrosion protection to the steel pipes as installed. Beyond this, thepresent invention moreover allows for steel pipe installation withoutany undesirable excessive straining or stressing of the steel pipe incontrast to conventional excavating-plus-laying methods. In addition,steel pipes installed in accordance with this invention ca be Withdrawnfrom the plastic pipe and replaced with new steel pipes whenver requiredwithout such replacement operation requiring repeat iiushing in theriver bed.

Further features, objects and advantages `of the present invention willbe evident from the pursuant description of one embodiment thereof withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l shows the devices according to the invention as installed on onebank in the initial phase of the pipelaying operation,

FIG. 2 shows the pipelaying vessel and the water-jetting unit as it isbeing mounted upon the vessel,

FIG. 3 illustrates the pipelaying vessel including the water-jettingdevice while crossing the watercourse,

FIG. 4 shows how the water-jetting unit is being transferred to a runwayon the opposite bank,

FIG. 5 is a side view according to FIG. 1 of the pipelaying trolley andof the trolley-connected components, drawn to somewhat enlarged scale,

FIG. 6 is an illustration of the pipelaying trolley as seen to thedirection of arrow A in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is an illustration of the pipelaying trolley as viewed towardarrow B in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 8 shows details of the pressing platform for advancing the steelpipes.

The embodiment as illustrated in the drawings is for installation ofseveral plastic pipes simultaneously with inserted steel piping. As willbe seen from FIG. 1, several steel pipes 4 of a specific lengthdetermined by pipelaying speed are maintained in position on rollerblocks 12 at the starting end of a pipelaying route 15 which has beencarefully surveyed and accurately predetermined prior to commencement ofthe pipelaying operation. Steel pipes can be welded together locally onthe job using a plurality of pipe lengths, and provided with protectivecoating. Steel pipes 4 are passed via a pressing platform 11 which isillustrated in outline only in FIG. 1, to enter the plastic pipes 5 theleading ends of which are fixed in position in a concrete base inalignment with the steel pipes capable of being advanced from thepressing platfonn. The diameter of the plastic pipes 5 is somewhatlarger, for instance 5 cm., than the diameter of the steel pipes 4.Plastic pipes 5 may be up to about 70 cm. in diameter.

A runway 6 on piles 8 is provided between pressing platform 11 and thewatercourse indicated on the right in FIG. 1, said runway 6 to guide andgive support to a pipelaying trolley 7 on which the water-jetting unit 3known as such is arranged to permit adjustment in vertical plane,pivotal adjustment about a horizontal axis in vertical relation to thedirection of travel, and locking in position. Piles 8 which may be steelsections, for instance, and may be disposed at a distance of 4 to 5 m.,are founded so deep that stability and rigidity of piles are maintainedand safeguarded despite the fact that the bottom or bed would beloosened by the water-jetting unit. Plastic pipes 5 are continuously fedto the water-jetting unit from above. From a pressure water source (notshown) which preferably makes use of the water available in saidwatercourse, the required jetting water is supplied to the water-jettingunit 3 in a manner known per se and not in detail described herein sothat plastic pipes 5 are water-jetted into the soil or ground as knownand the water-jetting unit 3 can be moved or drawn toward saidwatercourse. As the water-jetting unit 3 is so arranged on thepipelaying trolley 7 as to allow adjustments in vertical plane, runway 6need not be installed to accurate height: exact adaptation of thewater-jetting unit 3 to the predetermined run of the pipelaying routecan be obtained by control of said level adjusting gear. As can be seenthere are no excavations and sheet pilings to provide bank cutsotherwise required. Steel pipes 4 are maintained advanced from thepressing platform 11 such their ends 1 are accommodated in base 2 of thewater-jetting unit 3.

With reference now to FIG. 2 it can be seen how in the next phase of thepipelaying operation the water-jetting unit 3 has just been taken overby the pipelaying vessel 13 and the loading gear 16 thereof.Installation then proceeds in the manner as known for plastic pipes,though simultaneously with this operation the leading ends 1 of steelpipes 4 are always advanced by means of the pressing platform up to thebase 2 of the waterjetting unit 3. This ensures that said water-jettingunit 3 will not make any route deviations of such small radii during thejetting operation as steel pipe 4 could not follow without creatingexcessive stress or strain. In other words: the water-jetting unit 3 isbeing guided by the advancing steel pipes 4. It is obvious that aconclusion can be drawn from the intensity of forces produced betweenthe water-jetting unit 3 and the steel pipes or also from the forcesbetween said water-jetting unit 3 and its suspension on pipelayingvessel 13 as to what the magnitude of bending stress prevailing in thesteel pipe would be like. Hence it is possible to effect, by means ofpriorknown stress testers and controls in connection thetewith,automatic course correction also of water-jetting unit 3 in that theseforces or stresses are always maintained below predetermined limitvalues. Of course there are stresses produced in the steel pipe due tocurves which are either inevitable or even planned throughout the lengthof the pipelaying route, but the magnitude thereof has beenpredetermined and considered acceptable. The question of frictionbetween steel pipe and surrounding plastic pipe also plays a partherein. Investigations conducted to date have shown that a clearance ofappr. 3 cm. between steel pipe and plastic pipe is adequate to permitfor the steel pipe to be advanced also through acceptable curvedsections without any damage to the plastic pipe and without excessivefrictional forces between plastic and steel piping to occur. Moreover,such friction can be reduced according to the invention in that the gapbetween steel pipe and plastic piping is lled with a liquid7 forinstance with a mixture of glycerin and water, which simultaneouslyserves to reduce the floating tendency of the otherwise empty plasticpipes. Depending on whether the starting ends 1 of steel pipes 4 areopen or closed, the steel pipes, too, could oe filled with said liquidor kept empty. In any case this liquid ll also produces a floatingtendency of the steel pipes within the plastic pipe by which theadvancing operation would be facilitated. Anticorrosion agents may beadded to said liquid so that particularly etlicient protection isafforded to the steel pipe inserted in the plastic piping. Also,depending on pipelaying conditions and curves on the route, the steelpipe may be ooded and emptied again at option, in order to obtain anegative or a positive uplift-especially in the leading section 1 of thesteel pipe.

After the phase of pipelaying operation as shown in FIG. 3, namelycrossing proper of the watercourse, has been terminated in a manner asknown from the plastic pipes, the water-jetting unit 3 is transferred,as shown in FIG. 4, from the pipelaying vessel 13 to a runway 206 whichis substantially identical in design with the runway 6 illustrated inFIG. 1 and which is likewise provided with a pipelaying trolley, as at207, which may be identical with pipelaying trolley 7 according toFIG. 1. Runway 206, as is also runway 6, is supported on piles 203 whichpenetrate so deep into the ground that their stability and rigidity isnot affected by the water-jetting operation taking place therebetween.Installation finally terminates in a terminal shaft as shown on theright of FIG. 4. During the entire pipelaying operation the pressuresand ten- ,sions required on the water-jetting unit 3 are exerted bymeans of winches 14 on pipelaying vessel 13 in known manner not indetail referred to herein. In order to facilitate installation, a pullrope 20 may be secured to head 1 of steel pipe 4 which would permitfurther pullingthrough of the steel pipes after pipelaying has beencompleted.

FIG. 5 shows some details of the pipelaying trolley 7 according to thisinvention and of the fastening means of water-jetting unit 3 pivotablyarranged thereon. FIGS. 6 and 7 show said pipelaying trolley fromdifferent directions of view. As may be gathered from these figures, thepipelaying trolley 7 as such is guided by means of rollers 42 on arunway rail 43 on all sides, said runway rail 43 forming one part ofsaid runway 6. The waterjetting unit 3 is by fastening means 2S and 26attached to a supporting arrangement 27 which forms one part of anadjusting gear 9 capable of pivoting the water-jetting unit about ahorizontal axis of rotation 24 and of shifting said unit inperpendicular relation to said axis. The actuating means to effect saidshifting motion is provided in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 22having its one end 29 firmly connected to the pipelaying trolley 7 via agirder member and its other end 28 to the water-jetting unit 3 viafastening means 26. Fastening means 26 is secured to a second girderelement same as fastening means 25, said second girder element forming asliding connection along with the rst girder which is connected to theend of positioner 22. Accordingly, the second girder with fasteningmeans 25 connected thereto by means of bolts 36 is capable of beingshifted on the first girder element upon actuation of and in response topositioner 22. The first girder means is connected with a curved-segmentarresting or locking device 23 which can be locked in position on thefar-end of pipelaying trolley 7 by means of a pin 30 thus that theentire adjusting gear 9 including the water-jettin g unit 3 theretoattached can be pivoted about the axis of rotation 24 and locked in anydesired position to which swung by means of bolt 30. The pivoting motionis effected mechanically via cables (not shown). In the initial phase ofpipelaying operations the plastic pipe 5 is fixed in position in aconcrete foundation or base 10 located on the starting-side bank. Thisconcrete footing 10 may, as shown in FIG. 8, be part of a pressingplatform 11 from which steel pipes 4 can be advanced. Pressing platform11 comprises a pressing lane 106 well in alignment with the tied-inplastic pipes 5 with an advancing bogie 1 07 positively arrangedthereon. This advancing bogie is provided with gripper means suitablefor seizing the steel pipes, in this instance composed of sev-` eralclamping sleeves 34 with fixing bolts 35. The lower half-shells of saidclamping sleeves are integrally provided on advancing bogie 107. Aftersteel pipes 4 have been introduced into plastic pipes 5 through the openclamping sleeves 34, said clamping sleeves are tightened up by means ofthe fixing bolts 35 as provided. A powered pusher means comprising twohydraulic cylinders 31 is disposed between advancing bogie 107 and aconnecting member 32 firmly connected to the pressing lane or track 106:said powered pusher means act to advance bogie 107 and thus also thesteel pipes 4 in rm connection therewith toward the plastic pipe.Connecting member 32 may be secured in optional locations 41 along thepressing lane or track 106 as the rate of advance may require. Thedistance between these locations 41 is not more than equal to the strokeof hydraulic cylinders 31. Hence it is not necessary after each advanceof hydraulic cylinders 31 to loosen bolts 35 and to displace the pipeclamping sleeves 34 on steel pipes 4. Instead, only the buttstaps 32 onpressing lane or track 106 have to be shifted by a distance equal to onelength between two holding or fixing locations 41 each time. Only aftera total advance stroke of the steel pipes which corresponds to the sumof all distances between said holding locations 41 will it be necessaryto loosen clamping sleeves 34 and retighten them in position on steelpipes 4 in a farther-back location.

One pipe guiding block 33 is attached at each end of the pressing laneor track 106. Said guide blocks are provided with guide rollers topositively guide the steel pipes with a minimum of friction. A hydraulicpump schematically outlined as at 37 in FIG. 8 is connected by means ofhydraulic fluid hoses and control devices (not shown) to hydrauliccylinder 31.

The pressure water required for advance through the bank zone issupplied to the water-jetting apparatus 3 from the pipe-laying vessel 13stationed at the water-side end of runway 6. The traction forcesrequired to pull the water-jetting unit 3 are exerted by the Winches 14of the pipelaying vessel 13. As the water-jetting unit 3 advances, steelpipes 4 are pushed to follow said jetting unit 3 at a rate equal topipelaying speed. While the water-jetting unit 3 is being advanced it iscontinuously being kept to the depth required to obtain a predeterminedroute 15, by the hydraulic means installed in pipelaying trolley 6.

lt will be understood that other embodiments and modifications of thepresent invention are possible without leaving the scope of thisinvention.

What I claim is:

1. A system for installing a steel pipe lbelow the bottom of a river, acanal or the like, comprising, in combination,

(a) stationary gripping means for fixing one end of a ttiexible plasticpipe,

(b) flushing means for embedding said flexible plastic pipe into thebottom of the river,

(c) means for feeding said plastic pipe through said flushing means Iandmeans for positively moving said flushing means forwardly along apredetermined path from said stationary gripping means through thebottom of the river,

(d) a supply station providing a length of steel pipe rearwardly yof thefixed end of said plastic pipe, said steel pipe being coaxially alignedwith said plastic pipe and having a smaller outer diameter than theinner diameter of said plastic pipe,

(e) feeding means -for inserting the forward terminal of said steelApipe into said Iplastic pipe and for moving the terminal of said steelpi-pe forwardly through said plastic pipe Ifrom said stationary grippingmeans to said flushing means and for maintaining the terminal of saidsteel pipe adjacent said flushing means as said flushing means movesforwardly laying addi tional lengths of the plastic pipe.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the plastic pipe is filledlwith liquid so as to reduce friction of the steel pipes within theplastic pipe and to apply a buoyancy force to the steel pipe.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said liquid contains ananticorrosive agent.

4. A -system according to claim 1, wherein `the steel pipe is at leastpartially filled with liquid to add weight thereto so as to facilitateembedding the plastic pipe in curved sections.

5. A system according t-o claim 4, wherein said liquid contains ananticorrosive agent.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said liquid contains water andglycerin.

7. A system for installing a plurality of steel pipes below the bottomof a river, a canal or the like, comprising, in combination,

(a) stationary gripping means `for fixing one end of a plurality offlexible plastic pipes, said gripping means being located on the bankzone of the river,

(b) flushing means yfor embedding said flexible plastic pipes into thebottom of the river,

(c) a `stationary guiding runway extending across the bank zone of theriver in a predetermined path,

(d) a trolley traveling on said runway, said trolley including means forsecuring said flushing means to said trolley,

(e) means for feeding sai-d plastic pipe through said flushing means andmeans for positively moving said trolley forwardly on said guidingrunway, the flushing means thereby traveling from a point adjacent thegripping means across the bank zone of the river `and embedding saidplastic pipes linto the ground thereof,

(f) a vessel provided with means for securing said flushing means tosaid lvessel and carrying said flushing means across the river, therebyembedding said plastic pipes into the river bottom,

( g) a supply station providing a plurality of steel pipes rearwardly ofthe fixed ends of said plastic pipes, each steel pipe being aligned withone plastic pipe and having a smaller -outer ydiameter than the innerdiameter of said plastic pipes,

(h) feeding means for inserting the 4forward terminal of each steel pipeinto any one -of said plastic pipes and for moving the terminals of saidsteel pipes forwardly through said plastic pipes from said stationarygripping means to said fiushing means, wherein the forward feeding rateof the steel pipes substantially corresponds to the `forward movement ofthe fiushing means, such, that the forward terminal ends of the steelpipes moving through the plastic pipes terminate within the flushingmeans, thereby additionally guiding the flushing means by exerting a 7guiding force thereto, said guiding force resulting from the stressexerted by curved sections of the steel pipes between the ilushing meansand the gripping means, and

(i) controlling means for controlling the position of the flushing meanswith respect to ground along the predetermined path of travel of theflushing means (such as to maintain said guiding force `below apredetermined level).

8. A system according to claim 7, comprising a further stationaryguiding runway extending across the opposite bank Zone of the river in apredetermined path.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein said stationary guiding runwayis supported on Ipiles extending into a depth of ground not affected bysaid ushing means.

10. A system according to claim 7, means mounting said controlling meanson said trolley for movement of the rilushing means upwardly anddownwardly `in a verti- -cal direction, `and including power means formoving said ushing means mounted on said trolley.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said trolley comprises astructure pivotally arranged on a horizontal axis extending verticallyto said predetermined path, further comprising locking means to locksaid structure in a predetermined position.

12. A system according to claim 7, said feeding means further comprisinga pressing platform including a pressing track extending substantiallyin the travelling direction of said `flushing means, a yfeeding =bogiemovably located on said pressing track, said bogie having a plurality ofydetachable clamping means -for clam-ping said steel pipes, and pushingmeans connecting said bogie to a detachable member on said pressingtrack.

13. A system according to claim 12, ywherein means are provided alongsaid pressing track for connecting said detachable member at distancessmaller than the maximum feeding travel of said pushing means.

14. The method of installing metallic pipe below the bottom of a body ofwater wherein the metallic pipe is inserted within plastic pipe ilushimbedded below the bottom of t-he body of water by ushing apparatuscomprising the steps of fixing an end of plastic pipe relative to thebody 0f water, simultaneously feeding and moving the plastic pipethrough a `forwardly moving flushing apparatus and simultaneously yflushimbedding the plastic pipe below the bottom of the body rof water andinitially locating the forward terminal end of the metallic pipe withinthe plastic pipe `adjacent the ilushing apparatus and thensimultaneously feeding the metallic pipe into the fixed end of theplastic pipe in a forward direction at -a rate equal to the `forwardmovement of the i-ushing apparatus whereby the forward terminal end ofthe metallic pipe is maintained adjacent the flushing apparatus and themetallic pipe laids -in guiding the flushing apparatus.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,136,133 6/1964 Perret `6l-72.33,181,802 5/11965 Lindsay 6l-72.7 3,214,921 11/1965 Goepfert et al.61-72.3 3,222,876 12/1965 Harmstorf 61-72.4 3,273,346 9/1966 Delaruelleet al (rl-72.3

EARL J. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

